Show C COUNCIL N ll MEETS IN HI IO lC GALLERY All f League of N Nations Body in i n 2 It Its First First Important r Gathering Gathering- L LONDON LONDON- Feb 11 The The council orthe of or the league of nations met today in the historic c picture gallery of St St. James James' palace which was built by Henry VIII VILL VILLA A large table was placed for the ac accommodation accommodation ac- ac of the members of the council before wh whom m Leon Bourgeois the French delegate delivered the opening address The Tle remainder of or the gal gallery ery was app apportioned for the invited guests including all ail the ambassadors and ministers ministers min mm- of ot the allied associated and neutral neutral neutral neu neu- power powers powers' other distinguished public men and the press press The opening opening- meeting at noon was of a more or less formal nature to deal i with the programs programs of or the proceedings of the subsequent meetings which will occupy Thursday as well as today some sessions being public and others private This afternoons afternoon's session Arthur Arthur Arthur Ar Ar- thur J. J Balfour British representative presiding was private The nations represented at the meetIng meetIng meeting meet meet- ing were Belgium Brazil Great Britain Britain Bri Bri- tain tam France Greece Italy Japan and Spain In his speech of welcome to the delegates delegates dele dele- gates Mr Balfour said there was only one blot on the meeting and that was there were eight nations represented represent d instead of nine He said it was n not tr I desirable jo p o touch toUch on the absence orthe 01 ot the United States but h ho referred toft to it ft as marring the of the original original original nal plan of or the league M M. Bourgeois Bourg in reply added a word of regret that the nations ns represented were only eight in number John lohn W. W W W. Davis Ame American ican ambassador ambassador I dor to the court of St. St will not attend either the tho second meeting of 4 co nii of or th tho th league of nations orthe or orthe iI i- i I the meeting of or the pr premiers miers of or Great Britain France Fiance and Italy Italy- which will beheld beheld be beheld held here early next week unless he receives instructions from Washington according to an announcement at the I American embassy I |